In a device to be used in measurement or inspection of a semiconductor device, in order to automatically measure or inspect a pattern on a sample, a method for automatically searching a pattern to be a measuring object or a pattern of position specification, is employed.
In the relevant method, a search is carried out using a template registered in advance, to acquire an image (image at a low magnification) of a wide area and extract a desired shape from the inside of the relevant area, for a pattern of a search object. In Patent Literature 1, on determination of a size of such a search view, explanation has been given that a size of search view is determined with such a size that the desired pattern is sufficiently included in the search view and a pattern having a relatively approximate evaluation value is not detected.